Adjustable lamp shade



Jan 28, 1941. R. l. JOHNS ETAL 2,230,186

` I AbJUSTABLE LAMP SHADE Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l w ff@3mm/Wold;

Jan. 28, 1941. R, l. JOHNS ET AL ADJUSTABLE LAMP SHADE Filed Feb. 25,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFclaAApplication February 25, 1939., Serial No. 258,486

9 Claims. (Cl. 2li-108) Primarily the shade consists of one or morerows, or tiers, of small plates. These plates overlap or closely adjoin,laterally, and form together a band or row of such plates attached nearthe middle, and to one side, to a horizontal frame wire. Thus the topsor bottoms ofthe plates may be inclined inward or outward at will, thuschanging their angles and consequently the form of the shade. There maybe several of these tiers or rows of articulated plates. each with itshorizontal sustaining frame wire.

Lighting falls generally into two classes, direct and indirect. Tosecure both, at present, two fixtures must generally be used; Yor ifboth types are combined in one ilxture, additional bulbs,

reflectors and switches are needed. The new type of shade according tothe present invention allows either type of lighting at will, eitherwholly direct, wholly indirect, or a number of degrees in between.

The relationship of parts according to the invention is readilyadaptable to various forms of illumination, such for' example as tablelamps, ceiling iixtures, and the like.

On the accompanying sheets of drawings, illustrating the details ofpresently preferred embodiments of the invention- Figs. 1 and la areelevational views of the de vice according to the invention as applied,for instance, to a table lamp: Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the Y said device as shown inFig. 1;

larged scale, showing the relationship of parts of the lamp shade of theinvention;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic showings of the lamp shade as used ona ceiling fixture, closed at the bottom; and

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are diagrammatic showings of the lamp shade as usedon a ceiling ilxture, in combination with a silvered bottom bulb.

Corresponding parts are indicated by like reference numerals throughoutthe several gures l of drawings.

The lamp shade according to the invention includes essentially, in anyof the many modications which it may assume, a wire supporting frame. Inthe two-section shade which constiu tutes the preferred form of thedevice, this wire frame is composed o1' two rings il! and l I, spacedfrom each other and supported by braces I2, as shown.

The wire supporting frameis preferably aSsociated in any suitable ordesired conventional manner with conventional means for attaching theshade to either the bulb upon which it is to be mounted or to thesocket, generally provided on the lamp base, ceiling fixture or thelike, with which the shade is to be associated. Thus, for example, usemay expediently be made of conventional spring clips attached to framering Il and clamping on the bulb I3, or of a threaded ring attached toframe ring I 0 and screwing on the socket.

Each section of the lamp shade preferably consists of a plurality ofoverlapping arcuate strips or plates I4, I5. These overlapping strips tevenly about frame rings l0 and il and overlap to a substantial extent,as shown, to allow for increased continuous circumference when thesection is flared either at the top or at the bottom.

'I'he overlapping strips are severally attached o to the frame rings bymeans of clip means which may assume any one of a number of designs. Asshown more particularly. in Figs. 5 and 6, this means may advantageouslyassume the form of a rivet I I, the prongs I'I of which extend through45 adjacent plates I4, I5 at juxtaposed points a short distance from theedges thereof. Each plate is thus attached at two points, one on eachside thereof. The prongs I1, after traversing the plates, are bentaround the corresponding frame ring and adjustably encompass the same.The relationship of the parts is mich that the plates can turn on theShanks of the respective rivets I6 while the prongs can slide around thecorresponding frame ring. It is thus possible to ust the plates of eachsection to alter the ditgmeter at each end thereof from minimum tomaximum and vice versa. The diameter of the section atthe middle of theplates, where the clip means is located, remains constant and sub-vstantially equal to the diameter of the particular frame ring plus fourtimes the plate thickness. Any desi-red degree of upward or downwardflare may thus be achieved.

'I'he amountthat the plates of a section overlaps can. be adjusted tosuit the design of the shade.

I'he plates, when made of relatively soft or rough material, retaintheir adjusted position owing to the compressive action of the attachingrivets and their friction on each other. When Ithe plates arev ofrelatively hard or smooth material, a small coil spring or spring washerI8 may advantageously be arranged under the rivet head, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 6.

The number of sections may be varied, the number of rings of thesupporting frame being correspondingly varied.- The diameters of thei'ramerings as well as the distance therebetween, the length, width,shape and point of attachment of the plates or strips are all, to someextent at least, variable and may be adjusted to suit the preferreddesign of shade.' By way of example,

Figs. 1 and 1a show two of the numerous possible A shapes of a twosection shade on a table lamp.

'I'he vertical spokes or spacing braces l 2 which hold the horizontalframe wires in fixed relation to each other and to the central ringengaging the lamp base or socket, or supporting fixture, may be curvedor angled to permit the swing or play oi' the outer plates when tiltedinward or outward.. 'I'he holes in the plates may be lined with grommetsor small eyes. so as to protect the plates from cutting or enlargementof the holes due to frequent changes in position of the plates. 'I'hesegrommets are similar to the eyes used in uppers of shoes through whichto pass shoe strings.

The shade may be made of any material. If

translucency is required, it may be made of spunv glass treated withplastic resinous solution, or coated with any translucent material as alacquer or varnish. It may be made also of .plastic sheet, parchmentpaper, glass plates, fabric treated or untreated, or any othertranslucent material.

If translucency is not required (as in use for indirect lightingpurposes, when the shade reallyv functions as a reiiector) then metal orany other opaque material may be used.

It may also be coated on inside with a translucent reecting material orcoating, and may be decorated in any design and made in any color orcombinations thereof, and with any necessary i decora-tive bindings, ortrimmings.

Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, show the invention as applied to -ceilinglighting. Here again, the device consists essentially'of a supportingframe and of tiers of adjust-able plates mounted thereon, substantiallyas hereinbefore described. Conventional attaching means for supportingthe shade on the bulb or on the fixture are again employed.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the lower tier of plates con- 1 verges to an apexto given an indirect lighting effect. A similar effect may be obtainedby using a bulb with a silvered bottom I9, as in Figs. 11 and 12. Whenmetal .plates are used asthe bottom row or tierthe latter forms areflector to throw the light against the upper .tier and thence downwardto the room.

A direct lighting effect is obtained by the arrangement according toFig. .13.

Having described the invention, what is claimed and desired to -beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A shade of the character described comprising essentially asupporting frame including a supporting annulus. and an annular tier ofshadedening plates arranged in mutually overlapping relationship on saidannulus, and clip means movably interconnecting adjacent plates to eachother,

and to said supporting annulus, said clip means extending through theoverlapping portions of each pair of adjacent plates into-encompassingrelationship with the adjacent portion of said 'supporting annulus.

y2. A shade of the character described comprising essentially asupporting frame including a plurality of spaced supporting annuli,brace means interconnecting said annuli and retaining the same in spacedrelationship, an annular tier of shade-defining plates arranged inmutually overlapping relationship on each said annulus, and clip meansmovably interconnecting adjacent plates of each tier to each other andto the corresponding supporting annulus, said clip means extendingthrough the overlapping portions of each pair of adjacent plates of eachtier into encompassing relationship with the adjacent portion of thecorresponding annulus.

3. A shade of the character described comprising essentially asupporting frame including a plurality of spaced supporting annuli,brtce means interconnecting said 'annuli and retain g the same in spacedrelationship, an annular tier ofv shade-defining plates arranged inmutually overlapping relationship on each said annulus. and clip meansmovably interconnecting adjacent plates of each tier to each other andto the corresponding supporting annulus, whereby a varable degree o1ilare may be imparted to said tiers,

said brace means being Ainwardly o'set intermedilining arcuate platesarranged in mutually overr lapping relationship on each said annulus,cli-p means movably interconnecting adjacent plates of each tier to eachother and to the corresponding supporting annulus, whereby a variabledegree of upward or downward Iflare may be impartedl to said tiers and apluralitybf shade configurations achieved, and means for mounting saidshade onto a supporting fixture, said means being attached to one ofsaid annuli.

5. A shade of the character described as dened in claim 4 in combinationwith a depending light fixture including -a depending bulb, the low`-ermost of said tiers :being of upwardly opening conical configurationand wholly enclosing said bulb, whereby an indirect lighting eiect isachieved. i

6. A shade of the character described as defined in claim 4 incombination with a depending light xture including a depending bulbhaving a silvered bottom, the lowermost of said ytiers being of upwardlyopen, upwardly fiaring frusto-conical .7, A shade of the characterdescribed as deinwardly offset supned in claim 4, said plates being madeof lightpenetrable material capable o1' being variously colored andornamented.

8. A shade of the character described as defined in claim 4, the platesof at least one tier being made of light-impenetrable material, wherebythe interior surfaces thereof function as reiiecting surfaces.

9. A shade of =the vcharacter described as dened in claim 4 incombination with a light xture including a silvered bulb, one of saidItiers partially encompassing said bulb.

ROBERT I. JOHNS. KENNETH E. ANDREWS.

